THE question of who will receive support from rural voters in the upcoming NSW state election will hang in the balance until the final count on March 23.
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Loyalties could be described as divided at best and there are no guarantees as to who rural voters will support.
To help decipher some of the mystery around the seat of Wagga, which was up until recently considered a safe seat, a forum will be held in Wagga next week.
NSW Farmers will hold a forum at the Rules Club on Wednesday, March 13, at 7pm to allow candidates, and members of the rural community to discuss election issues.
The event has been instigated by the NSW Farmers Wagga district branch and will be moderated by Professor Lyndall Angel.
Candidates will each be given two minutes to introduce themselves and participants will be able to ask questions.
NSW Farmers has invited the following candidates to the forum:
- Joe McGirr, Indpendent
- Dan Hayes, Country Labor
- Seb McDonagh, Shooters, Fishers and Farmers
- Ray Goodlass, Greens, NSW
- Mackenna Powell, National Party
- Colin Taggart, Australian Conservatives
NSW Farmers, Wagga district branch chairman Alan Brown said issues regarding drought support would be raised.
"Drought is now at its deepest and people are feeding livestock, cropping farmers don't necessarily have income and they are trying to find ways to establish (winter) crops," he said.
He said managing in the drought was frustrating because agricultural commodity prices were booming.
"The other problem is the availability of water … this situation doesn't seem to change," he said.
Mr Brown said the political climate was uncertain and there was a possibility of a hung parliament in NSW.
Rural journalist with Fairfax media based in the Riverina.
Rural journalist with Fairfax media based in the Riverina.
